Kise, The Matchmaker
by amariys
Summary: Truly, Kise is the worst matchmaker Aomine has ever known.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Kise, The Matchmaker (1/2)

**Writer: **Amariys

**Words count: **5138 words

**Fandom/Characters: **Kuroko no Basket/Aomine Daiki, Kise Ryouta, OCs.

**Pairing(s): **AoKise.

**Disclaimer: **Kuroko no Basket is not mine. No trademark infringement or profit meant from the writing of this story.

**Rating: **T

**Summary: **Truly, Kise is the worst matchmaker Aomine has ever known.

* * *

"I want to have a lover."

The basketball he was getting ready to shoot slipped from Kise's hand as he heard that declaration. It bounced lazily twice on the ground before rolling away from him and yet Kise didn't seem to notice. His wide-eyes attention was turned towards Aomine who was sitting on a bench just outside the street court. A small towel still hung around the other's tan neck from his early short break.

"What did you say, Aomine-_cchi_?"

"I said I want to have a lover. Do you have hearing problem or does exhaustion just make you dumber than usual?" Aomine's tone was mocking although from the rusty red blush across his cheeks, Kise figured it was only a defense mechanism to hide his embarrassment.

"That is cruel. I don't have hearing problem and I'm not dumb either. I just never expected to hear you saying that." Huffing in mild irritation, Kise finally moved to get the once-forgotten basketball. He held it between his palms before walking towards Aomine. Their weekly one-on-one had ended with Aomine's victory—again—and usually Kise would sulk because of that, but the interesting conversation they were having managed to steer his mind away from his lost.

"What made you want to have a lover? I thought you've been with women before."

"Yeah, I've been with women before," Aomine snorted because they were now in their last year of high school and he was not some prude who would keep his virginity for such a long time. "but that doesn't really count. I was just fooling around with those women, you know, and well this time I want a lover, not a fuck buddy."

"Language, Aomine-_cchi_. There's no need to be so crude." Kise chided half-heartedly. He was far too intrigued to worry about Aomine's crass mouth. Plopping down beside the tan male, Kise put the basketball on his lap, folding his arms atop of it and gently resting his chin atop of his folded arms. He turned his face towards Aomine in that childish pose. "A lover, huh. I admit I can't really see you with a lover, but maybe we're on that age that want some kind of stability. So, tell me, what is your lover type?"

Navy blue eyes regarded Kise from their peripheral vision. A gentle tug was pulling at Aomine's heart when he saw the sheer innocence in the other's pose. Kise almost looked like he was hugging himself—the perfect portrayal of childish innocence—while his still damp blond locks fell in gorgeous wave. Some of it were sticking on his face and Aomine noticed Kise was keeping his hair quite long now. His bright honey brown eyes were peeking from under the fringe, brimming with curiosity while his lips curled into a teasing smile as he waited for an answer.

Aomine wondered what Kise would do if he kissed him right now. At least that would answer his question.

Although it also had the probability of ruining their friendship and Aomine didn't want that at all. They already could only meet once or twice a week. Aomine didn't think he could stand not meeting with Kise for longer than that.

He turned his gaze forward again, scrubbing his face with his small towel just so he wouldn't feel too awkward after his secret observation of Kise. "I don't really have a type. Just anyone who is compatible with me will be fine, I guess." He grunted out the lie.

"Eeeeeeeeh?! I was very sure your type is an older woman with big boobs! Or at least women with body just like your idol, Horikita Mai!"

"How the hell did you come to that conclusion?! That's totally untrue! I'm not that shallow, you know! I won't date someone just because they have big boobs!"

At the denial, Kise just gave Aomine a very pointed look that could be translated into, "Yeah, right."

"Okay fine, I _do _like big boobs!" Aomine growled under that look. "Still it doesn't mean I only look for boobs when I decide to date someone! Their personality matters too and I won't have a relationship with someone who doesn't have any similarities with me. Big boobs are great for one night stand, but I'm talking about long term relationship here and what's more important is that I can feel comfortable and connected with my future partner."

The rather comprehensive answer made Kise lift his brows in pleasant surprise. Apparently Aomine had given much thought in this and in turn it made Kise think rather seriously too. He hummed softly, straightening up from his position and shifting his gaze towards the evening sky. His eyes reflected the bloody color of the sky as the clouds floated about. Without really thinking he swung his legs idly; his brain processing everything Aomine had told him.

Unbeknownst for him, Aomine was submitting his every little gestures into his memory. Small smile teasing the corners of his lips.

"When you said comfortable and connected … do you mean something like what you and Kuroko-_cchi_ have?"

Aomine frowned faintly at the question. How did Kuroko even appear in their conversation now? Knowing it would be useless for him to try guessing what went in Kise's head, he finally answered, "I guess. Yeah, perhaps like that. I can assure you whatever you're thinking about won't work though, so you better stop before you're getting more intrigued by it."

"Haha, don't worry, Aomine-_cchi_. I'm merely satisfying my curiosity."

Kise had grinned when he said that. A grin that was so wide and sincere—the kind of grin that left Aomine with a shiver of fear running through his body. However, that grin was also very dazzling and so despite his trepidation of the plan he knew was brewing in Kise's mind, Aomine could only smile in exasperation before ruffling Kise's head roughly.

He just wanted to see the blond happy.

* * *

Kise was going to make a plan and he would make sure it was a really good one.

To be honest, he had felt disappointed when Aomine said he wanted to have a lover. In one way or another, Kise had managed to be true to his words back in Interhigh: He had stopped admiring Aomine. Not that it was a good thing because while his admiration had surely diminished what came after was something more terrifying. His admiration had evolved and now Kise had come to realization that he liked Aomine in more than friendly way. Thus when he heard Aomine's words, he couldn't stop the disappointment he immediately felt.

He knew Aomine often messed around with women, but even then he still had hope for his growing feelings. Those one night stands would never become permanent addition in Aomine's life. Those women with big boobs wouldn't be a threat for him. A lover was different though. Even Aomine himself had used the term differently. A lover meant commitment, long-time relationship and understanding to his partner. A lover would mean someone Aomine actually _loved_, not someone he only wanted to have sex with because of their sexy body.

Once Aomine got a lover, Kise would need to try killing his own fondness for the other. It wouldn't be easy, but one thing Kise wanted the most in this world is Aomine's happiness. Thus, he had decided he would be the one to pick Aomine's lover for him. At least then he would be sure Aomine's lover was worthy enough to have him and hopefully he would be ready to let Aomine go.

With that determination firm in his mind, Kise started to work. First thing he needed to do was finding someone who would fit Aomine's type.

Considering how well he knew Aomine, that really wouldn't be hard. He was still convinced about Aomine's love for big boobs but if the other insisted that didn't really matter then Kise would give him the benefit of doubt. With that criteria out of the way, Kise would need to look at the personality of Aomine's future partner and found someone who could be compatible with him.

Aomine really should consider himself lucky, because Kise knew just who the exact girl would be. He just needed to make phone calls for now.

* * *

**From: **Kise

**Subject: **change of plan!

_Aomine-_cchi_, next week is your turn to visit me, right? Can you come earlier than the promised hour? There's someplace I want to show you before our one-on-one!_

Message received 06/15/200x 20:27

**From: **Aomine-_cchi_!

**Subject: **re: change of plan!

_Yeah, sure._

Message received 06/15/200x 20:30

**From: **Kise

**Subject: **re: re: change of plan!

_Yaaay! Aomine-_cchi_ is the best! *_\(^O^)/* _See you next week~ _;)

Message received 06/15/200x 20:32

* * *

When he received Kise's message a week ago, Aomine was curious about the place Kise wanted to show to him. He had visited Kanagawa few times already—since he and Kise agreed they would take turn visiting the other for their one-on-one—he didn't think there were many places he hadn't seen. However this was Kise he was talking about. Aomine knew he shouldn't keep his hope high. For all he knew, the place Kise meant could be the usual café they visited frequently which was having slight change in their interior decoration.

Since Kise hadn't changed their meeting place, Aomine was expecting to see him once he stepped out of the train he rode in. True to his prediction, he didn't even need to walk for long until he saw Kise waving enthusiastically at him. The sight made Aomine smirk. He shrugged his bag lightly back to place as he approached the other.

However, as he got close to Kise, Aomine realized he was not alone. His steps halting at the sight of their additional companion, Aomine could only stare for a moment.

"… Tetsu?"

Even as he called the name, Aomine knew he was mistaken. Unless his eyes had deceived him—or his brain had totally gone screwed up—the person beside Kise was a girl. A girl … who looked very much alike with Kuroko Tetsuya. From closer inspection, he realized the girl was even shorter than Kuroko. Not that it was surprising. Although Kuroko was considered short compared to the other Generation of Miracles, but he was actually of normal height for boys. The only girls who could reach his height would be models.

Other than her height though, the girl could almost be mistaken as Kuroko's sister—if not twin. The girl had the same teal-blue hair and big eyes that seemed to steal their colors from the sky. If that was not scary enough, the girl also had that same lack of expression on her face. Even now the only reaction she showed was to blink her eyes as she gazed up at Aomine.

"Aomine-_cchi_, that's not Kuroko-_cchi_! Although I can understand why you'll be mistaken. This is Shinonome Kasumi-_cchi_, a second year in Kaijou and also our team's unofficial manager. I had promised to accompany her to the bookstore before our one-on-one. You don't mind that, do you?"

Prompted by Kise's explanation, Shinonome stepped forward. She had a thin smile on her face as she bowed politely. Aomine idly noted the way her shoulder-length hair fell around her bowing head as she did that. "Shinonome Kasumi. It's a pleasure to meet you, Aomine-_kun_."

"A-aah. Aomine Daiki. Nice to meet you too, Shinonome-_san_." Stuttering in the face of her politeness, Aomine knew his bow would look awkward. When she straightened up soon after, he resisted the urge to sigh in relief. "I'm sorry for asking this, but do you know someone named Kuroko Tetsuya? It's just that you look very similar with him."

"Of course I know him," the smile on Shinonome's face seemed to widen for a fraction. Her eyes were surely glittering with amusement as she continued, "Tetsu-_kun_ is my cousin."

* * *

It took all of Kise's effort to not laugh gleefully when he saw Aomine's astonished face. The reaction Aomine showed was even better than his prediction. Not that Kise had reacted any better. When Shinonome first applied herself as Kaijou's manager on Kise's second year, he had fairly screamed at seeing the girl. He was sure most of the Kaijou's basketball team members would still remember his high-pitched scream back then.

He really couldn't help it though. Seeing Shinonome was like seeing Kuroko Tetsuya's clone in different gender. Kise even needed to pinch himself to make sure he was not dreaming. When Shinonome finally admitted to be Kuroko's cousin, though, it kind of explained everything. It was still astonishing how alike the two cousins were but Kise decided to blame it to their blood relation and typical genetic conformation.

The similarity between Shinonome and Kuroko was almost frightening, but it worked to Kise's advantage. He knew really well how compatible Aomine was with Kuroko and although now Kuroko already had Kagami, he still believed Aomine would be better in the hands of someone like Kuroko. Shinonome was all of that and more. Of course she would be the first option Kise chose when he determined to get Aomine a lover.

He intentionally dragged his feet as they walked towards the bookstore. Shinonome and Aomine were walking in front of him, although sometimes he would receive a pointed look from Aomine—which he ignored, of course. Far as he could see, the duo walking in front of him seemed to get along just fine. Shinonome was a quiet girl from the beginning so Kise didn't really expect her to start up a conversation. What had captured his attention was Aomine. The man looked almost hilarious standing beside the petite Shinonome and apparently he noticed that too because Kise could read his subtle body gestures and they were awkward.

It didn't mean they were not a good match. With Shinonome's height, Kise reckoned she would fit just fine in Aomine's arms. They contrasted each other very much, but wasn't that good in a relationship? Even now Kise could see Aomine was already compensating for Shinonome. His steps were shorter than his usual ones to make her able catching up with him. He also would stop once in a while and dipped his head slightly whenever she said something. All in all, Kise was sure Aomine would cherish her if they ever became a couple.

The pain that came as he saw that was expected. Kise was ready for it; enough that even the smile on his face didn't falter even one bit. If anything, it just turned into a wider grin as both Aomine and Shinonome stopped in front of their destination and turned to face him. Shinonome was smiling in that shy way of her while Aomine had an annoyed frown between his brows.

"Oi, Kise, hurry up. You're the one who knows this area. You should lead the way, dumbass."

"Shino-_cchi_ can lead the way just fine. Besides, don't you think being accompanied by a girl is more interesting, Aomine-_cchi_?" Kise just couldn't help the teasing. Aomine made it all too easy.

In response to that, Aomine's eyes narrowed. They pinned Kise under sharp gaze, most likely trying to figure out what he was planning on. Kise knew Aomine would figure out his plan sooner than later, but still it wasn't enough to disturb him. Smiling charmingly, he just caught up with the two calmly. He then took both Aomine and Shinonome's wrists in his hands and happily pulled them along.

"Well, let's go and look for some books!"

* * *

He finally figured out Kise's plan when the blond suddenly spotted Kasamatsu in the bookstore they went into. Kise's face had lightened up—in the way that told Aomine this wasn't entirely a coincidence—before hastily excusing himself to approach his ex-captain. The bastard even had the gut to tell Aomine to, "Be nice to Shino-_cchi_!" before he left them alone.

The urge to curse suddenly hit Aomine. Thankfully, he still had his manner and he didn't think cursing while with girls (except for Momoi) would be considered polite. So he swallowed down the curse and turned to face Shinonome instead.

"Well, that is that," he said in apologetic tone. "Let's go to the section you're looking for. What book do you want to buy?"

"It's a philosophy book. Are you sure you will be alright accompanying me?" She asked even as she started to walk towards the Philosophy section. Her face didn't give out anything, but years learning to read Kuroko made Aomine notice the hidden amusement in her eyes.

He snorted quite rudely in response. "You know he's planning to set us up. The least we can do is playing along with him for now. I don't really want to make him upset, after all."

"No, I figured you wouldn't want that."

Navy blue brows raised up at that cryptic response. He knew she could see it, but she ignored his questioning gaze and just went into the aisle that held neat rows of philosophy books. He followed and pretended to browse the book's title although he had basically no interest in philosophy. He could admit Shinonome was not a bad company though. Her similarities with Kuroko made him feel comfortable and since she didn't seem interested in actually trying a relationship with him, Aomine figured they could at least be friends.

"Do you often meet with Tetsu?" He asked once the silence became too much. That, and he was also really curious about that because Kuroko never said anything about having a cousin.

"At least once a month. We are not particularly close, but I do respect Tetsu-_kun_ a lot. He doesn't talk much and I like that. It's hard to find someone who appreciates silence nowadays."

Aomine flinched despite knowing the words weren't really aimed to him. He almost regretted breaking the silence between them. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay, Aomine-_san_," she responded with that smile she also shared with Kuroko. The one that was so pale it would take trained eyes to notice. She pulled out a book from the isle and read the cover. "To be honest, I find your company quite enjoyable. I've always been curious about you all since the first time I heard Tetsu-_kun_ talking about you."

"Tetsu told you about us?"

"Yes. Never in details, but enough that I knew he was very happy when you first spoke with him," she hummed softly before returning the book back to the isle. Apparently that was not the one she was looking for. "also enough for me to realize how devastated he was until he entered Seirin."

"I was … stupid back then. Too absorbed in my own self-pity and arrogance to realize how my actions effected people around me. Tetsu took it the hardest. I realized that now and I regretted the past. I can never change what I've done to Tetsu, but at least … at least I can try to fix my mistake and make sure I'll never hurt anyone again."

He didn't really know what prompted him to confess all that. Maybe it was the air of comfortable silence between them. Maybe it was the similarity between her and Kuroko; or maybe Aomine just wanted to assure her he regretted his action. He wasn't sure what the reason was, but he did feel slightly better after saying that. His confession was followed by silence, but it didn't seem judging or oppressive in anyway and Aomine blessed her for that.

"I know you regretted the past. All of you do and I know all of you has changed now. Tetsu-_kun _is happy lately; the happiest I've ever seen him, so I know everything is alright now."

Aomine mulled over her words and must admit she was right. Despite being rivals now, but the Generation of Miracles was even closer with each other than when they played in the same team. Their rivalries only strengthening the bond between them and indeed, that was a nice feeling. Aomine could feel his lips forming a smile at the thought. He even chuckled a little before shaking his head in amusement. "Maybe Kise's plan really could work. I don't think I'd mind going out with you, Shinonome-_san_."

"Ah, it's not good to tell a lie, Aomine-_san_." Her tone managed to convey both chastisement and amusement at the same time. She took yet another book out of the isle and let out a pleased hum when she read the title. She had gotten the book she was searching for. Hugging the book close to her chest, her big sky blue eyes finally looked up at Aomine for the first time since their conversation began. With that pale smile on her face, she gently said, "You don't want to go out with me. After all, you already have someone you love, haven't you?"

She nodded towards something behind him. Aomine turned around in response and suddenly his breath was caught in his throat. He could see Kise and Kasamatsu walking towards them. The blond was talking energetically, hands flying about to emphasize his words, and with a wide grin attached on his face. Kasamatsu for once seemed to listen to what the blond had to say without his usual scowl between his brows. Apparently, college had done Kasamatsu good.

Unnoticed by anyone, Shinonome's smile widened when she saw how completely entranced Aomine was. She resisted the urge to giggle—that would be so out of character for her—and decided to just touch Aomine's elbow softly to bring him back to reality. She wouldn't admit how satisfying it was to see him startled by the touch. She waited until his eyes met with hers before saying,

"You'll be good for each other."

Aomine's eyes widened in response. But then they softened as an equally soft smile changed his whole expression completely. His voice was a whisper as he returned with, "Yeah, I hope so."

"No, Aomine-_san_. You _know _so."

* * *

They separated with Shinonome not long after that. The girl reassured them she would be alright walking home with Kasamatsu. Although he was still worried, but Aomine decided to trust her words and chose to hold Kise back when the other still seemed unconvinced. They still had a one-on-one to play and besides, Aomine thought it was about time he talked with Kise about the other's plan.

Kise didn't seem happy with Aomine's decision but he wasn't protesting either. His sulk only lasted long enough until their game started. After that, he was too busy trying to compete with Aomine to even remember about his moping. Over years, Kise's skill had improved a lot, yet today he was completely beaten up by Aomine. The tan male played as if they were facing each other in Interhigh once again instead of having a casual one-on-one.

It only took Kise fifteen minutes of trying to defend and get pass through Aomine before he finally fell flat on his ass. His clothes were completely soaked by sweat. He panted as if he had ran a marathon and could only watch as Aomine took a score with a dunk for the last time. They never did a proper scoring in their one-on-one, but this time Kise knew he had lost completely. He could only get three baskets all through their game.

"Aomine-_cchi_, you don't have to be so angry. I was just trying to do something nice." Kise panted out once he managed to catch his breaths. He knew exactly what had made Aomine so aggressive in their one-on-one; knew it was his own way to channel his annoyance and to tell Kise without really saying it out loud that he was being a pain in the ass.

"Yeah, right. I won't exactly say it was something nice. You just can't mind your own business, can you? I know it was a mistake talking to you yesterday."

"Now, that's unfair." Hurt seeped into Kise's tone and he didn't bother taking it back. He threw a glare towards Aomine who was just standing in front of him with crossed arms. "I am your friend, Aomine-_cchi_. That's why I want to help you! It's not every day you said you want to have a lover and I … just want to make sure you get the best girl so you can be happy. It's not like I'm forcing you to go out with them! I just want to help."

His voice slowly drifted away into soft, trembling whispers. Aomine could see the way Kise curled his palms in tight fist and when the other lowered his head, Aomine knew he was doing that to hide his scrunched up face. No matter how more mature Kise had become, he would always be an emotional person. The kind that could shed tears easily over happiness, sadness or frustration. This time Aomine knew Kise intentionally adverted his eyes to resist the tears gathering in his eyes.

Guilt started to appear in him. Aomine knew Kise was sincere with what he had said. He truly only wanted to help Aomine finding someone who could be compatible with him and in a way that was quite sweet. All those efforts were rendered useless though since Aomine didn't want that. He didn't want Kise to help him look for his best partner. He wanted Kiseto _be_ his partner. The fact Kise couldn't see that was really frustrating.

Seeing Kise now though, Aomine could admit he might have gone too far. Sighing in regret, he then walked closer to Kise and plopped down beside the blond. Their shoulders brushed with their close proximity. Aomine chose to lean back by resting his weight on his arms and tipped his head up before drawling softly, "Well I guess Shinonome wasn't that bad. You have quite a good sense in choosing girls, at the very least."

"Shino-_cchi_ is very alike with Kuroko-_cchi_. She was the most obvious choice I had at first." Kise mumbled softly. He still hadn't lifted his head up but at least his fists had uncurled. He knew Aomine was never good at apologizing and the acknowledgement towards Shinonome was the tan male's own way in saying he was sorry. It was a lame way to apologize for sure, but still Kise couldn't help being touched by it. At least Aomine _tried _to apologize to him.

Finally lifting his head up, Kise's honey brown eyes peered at Aomine with undisguised curiosity. "You were getting along really well with Shino-_cchi_. Why don't you ask her for another date?"

"Were you even listening to me?! Stop forcing me to go out with someone!" Aomine hit Kise's head lightly only because he knew it would be forgiven now. "Besides, Shinonome and I get along well exactly because we both don't want to pursue any romantic endeavour. Next time, if you wanted to set me up with someone, at least made sure I wouldn't look like a yakuza standing beside a little girl."

The picture that came along with Aomine's words made Kise giggle. He could say it was really appropriate. Aomine did look even more menacing when he stood beside the sweet and petite Shinonome. His giggled only grew louder when Aomine threw a sharp glare at him. He waved his hand in surrendering manner as he tried to control his hilarity. "I'm sorry. It's just that—pfftt, you _do _look like a yakuza sometimes. Aaah, I will make sure to note that though. So now that you've figured out my plan, why don't you give me more details about what you want to get from your future partner?"

"Equality, that's for sure." Aomine answered promptly. "Okay, I know there are not a lot of people who is as tall as I am, but at least I want to make sure people don't mistake me as a criminal when I walk with them."

"Well, that's quite difficult, but thankfully I work in a model agency. There must be some ridiculously tall girls out there. What else?"

"I'm not saying this because I'm a vain person who only cared about appearance, but I guess I want to have a partner who is … good looking. They don't have to be stunningly gorgeous, but at least I want to make sure I can look at their face without feeling bored. They should be fit too, because I want to be their partner, not their care-taker or nurse. I like someone who has good sense of humor too and perhaps a little stubborn so they could stand my own stubbornness."

"That's quite a long list you have there. Let's just hope I can find someone who fits all of the requirements."

"I've told you before, you don't really have to do this. I didn't mean anything in particular when I said I want to have a lover. You're overreacting, Kise."

"I don't care. I'm determined to do this, Aomine-_cchi_! You just wait and see! I will find you the most suitable partner and then when you two are actually going out, I will demand a token of gratitude for my effort!" Kise laughed before standing up. He stretched his arms and turned to grin at Aomine. "I will find you a partner soon. You don't have to worry!"

_But I don't want that_, Aomine wanted to shout. He managed to bite his lips in time and just watched as Kise hummed cheerfully while walking towards the bench where they put their bags on. He watched as the blond took a bottle of mineral water. He kept on watching as Kise uncapped the bottle and started to drink, his throat working as he swallowed. It was then Aomine lowered his gaze towards his open palms just to make sure he wouldn't do anything stupid. _I don't want you to find me a partner, Kise. I want __**you**_ _to be my partner. Why can't you see that?_

Aomine sighed heavily. He let go all of his frustration and anger with that one big sigh. It was not Kise's fault he couldn't figure out Aomine's feelings. After all, he never planned to confess to the blond either. Besides, even if it was frustrating, but Kise's ignorance could be interesting to watch sometimes.

"You're truly an idiot, Kise." He drawled as he stood up.

"What have I done now?! Calling people idiot out of the blue is impolite, _Aho_mine-_cchi_!"

Kise protested vehemently, but Aomine just tipped his head back and laugh. He would play along with anything Kise was planning for now. After all, he was quite satisfied with this simple intimacy they shared. Participating in a silly match-making was only a small price he had to pay to keep Kise happy and Aomine would do it willingly.

* * *

**To be Continued ...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Kise, The Matchmaker (2/2)

**Writer: **Amariys

**Words count: **6085 words

**Fandom/Characters: **Kuroko no Basket/Aomine Daiki, Kise Ryouta, OCs.

**Pairing(s): **AoKise.

**Disclaimer: **Kuroko no Basket is not mine. No trademark infringement or profit meant from the writing of this story.

**Rating: **T

**Summary: **Truly, Kise is the worst matchmaker Aomine has ever known.

**A/N: **Thank you for Pedestrian for their advise about the summary. :)

* * *

The second girl Kise introduced to him must be one of his fellow model friends.

She was tall (no less than 5'6" and she wore _heels_), pretty and had bigger-than-most-people boobs. In short, she should be Aomine's dream girl. The first time Aomine had caught sight of her together with Kise, he actually had stopped in his track. Those two people looked outstandingly gorgeous when they spoke to each other. For a moment, Aomine almost thought he was seeing some prettily drawn oil painting instead of real people.

But then Kise had looked his way, the remains of laughter still curving his lips, and the way his eyes immediately brightened up when he saw Aomine was even more stunning. Smiling thinly, Aomine returned Kise's energetic waving before approaching them, noticing how tall Kise's companion actually was now that he was near her.

"Aomine-_cchi_, this is Katagiri Akane-_san_. I told her about you and she said she wanted to know you better!" Kise was positively beaming.

"Everything you heard from him is a lie, Katagiri-_san_. I'm not an asshole, despite what this idiot might say." Flashing his trademark smirk, Aomine pointedly ignored Kise's pout as he reached out a hand towards Katagiri. "Aomine Daiki. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise. Although, I'll be quite disappointed if all that Ryou has given to me was untrue. He pictured you as someone amazing. I'd been hoping you'd live up to the tales, Aomine-_san_." Katagiri said smoothly. Her hand was warm and sure as she shook hand with Aomine. She flashed Aomine a look from under her lashes and let her hand lingers a moment longer than necessary before releasing Aomine's. "Do you think I shouldn't have hoped too much?"

The obvious challenge in her voice made Aomine raise his brows. Oh, he could like a pretty woman with claws like her. With a confident bordering arrogant smirk, Aomine tilted his head in acceptance. "Why don't you decide it for yourself?"

Katagiri laughed. It was a nice sound, although it was still nothing like the warm laugh Aomine much preferred. The girl was pretty though—Aomine could admit as much—and although he was quite sure nothing would come out of this silly matchmaking event Kise had orchestrated, she was interesting enough. They would never be lovers like what Kise had expected, but the possibility of them being friends was quite high.

"Oh, I think I will. So you'd better be ready to be observed closely today, Aomine-_san_. I've been told that I'm a sharp critique."

"I'll try to stay on my best behavior today," Aomine chuckled before shifting his attention to Kise who had been listening their conversation silently. A scowl appeared on Aomine's face when he saw the other. Kise was still smiling, but the smile was nothing close to his usual megawatt ones. This one looked thin and strained and … Aomine might have imagined it, but he actually thought Kise looked sad. Almost immediately, Aomine decided he didn't like that expression.

His body moved without prior order, Aomine had Kise in a headlock before the blond could notice it. He grinned at the yelp the other produced and messed up the blond strands just for good measure. "What were you doing, spacing out like that? You look like an idiot! Stop daydreaming and show us where to go next."

"Not the hair, Aomine-_cchi_, not the hair!" Kise swatted at Aomine's hand frantically. He never liked it when someone messed with his hair. Aomine chuckled before releasing Kise from the headlock and although Kise tried to stay angry at him, but the innocent grin on Aomine's face was making it hard to do so. In the end he gave up with a sigh.

"Oh, alright. I know a good coffee shop around here. Let's go there before our one-on-one."

"A coffee shop? You don't even drink coffee unless you really have to. What's the point of going to a coffee shop then?"

"Shut up, Aomine-_cchi_! I can drink coffee when I want to! And I feel like drinking coffee right now!"

"Uh-huh. I bet you will just order hot chocolate. Are you sure it's not their cakes that you want?"

"AOMINE-_CCHIIII_!"

Aomine laughed heartily when Kise, face bright with embarrassment, glared up at him. Kise actually looked like an irate kitten when he did that, especially since his hair was still in disarray state from Aomine's previous musing, so really the glare had no effect whatsoever. It actually just made him adorable, but Aomine knew better than admitting that right in front of him.

"There's no need to be embarrassed, Kise. You will need a lot of energy to face your defeat. You can eat as many cakes as you want before that."

"Oh, hardy har har. I'm ignoring you now, Aomine-_cchi_. Totally ignoring you."

Kise didn't exactly stomp his feet when he walked away from Aomine, but it was close enough. Still chuckling in amusement, the tanned male followed without any teasing. He knew Kise wouldn't stay angry at him for long, but it was still better to not push his luck.

"Well, let's get going, Katagiri-_san_. I'm afraid Kise would be too upset to wait for us now and he's the only one who knows where this coffee shop is." Aomine called out as he looked back towards the girl.

Katagiri didn't say anything. She merely stared at Aomine curiously for a moment. Once she was satisfied enough with what she found, Katagiri offered a sweet smile before catching up with him. She ignored his questioning gaze and kept her own amusement to herself.

Oh, this would be interesting.

* * *

The coffee shop Kise brought them into was cozy. The rich smell of coffee and freshly baked breads greeted them first thing when they stepped into it. Soft jazz music resounded throughout the room, increasing the sense of relaxation even further. The coffee shop was filled with people although it was not too crowded. There were still plenty of empty tables for them but they had to go in a rather long line to order their beverages and so Kise volunteered to take care of their orders while Aomine and Katagiri searched for a table for them.

"What do you want, Akane-_san_?"

"Mm, I'll take the caramel cream _frappucino_, Ryou. Grande and non-fat, please."

"Alright. You'll take the usual right, Aomine-_cchi_?" Kise asked but he didn't even look at Aomine's confirming nod before sauntering off towards the ordering line.

Aomine watched until Kise stopped at the end of the correct line (because he had stupidly waited in the wrong line once) before turning his attention towards Katagiri. "Well, let's see if there's still any empty table near the window."

"So you're the kind of person who favor window-side tables. I hadn't expected that. You struck me more like the kind who didn't care about table positions." Katagiri hummed out the observation as she followed Aomine's lead towards the window corner.

"Usually, you would be right," Aomine admitted with a shrug. "I could care less about table position, but Kise preferred the window-side table. He always likes seeing the bustling crowds whenever he can. Apparently, it gives him inspiration for conversation."

"You two really know each other well. How long have you known Ryou, Aomine-_san_? Oh, there's an empty table there," Katagiri walked towards the only empty table near the window. It only had two chairs in it, so Aomine politely borrowed another chair from the nearest customer who sat alone with only his laptop. They settled down before Katagiri turned her attention back towards Aomine, expecting answer.

"I've known Kise since we were in middle school. We were teammates back then."

"Middle school? That's quite a long time ago. How did you keep contact with each other? Kise told me you're attending Touou. It's not exactly near from here."

"Heh, yeah you're right." Aomine smirked in amusement. "Our high schools often complete against each other in official matches, so it's not like I've never seen him after middle school. Besides, we still have our routine one-and-ones. We've never really lost contact."

"I see."

Katagiri sounded thoughtful. When Aomine looked at her, he could see something in her obsidian irises. Something calculating and quite mischievous. But then she noticed his look and that something disappeared completely, only to be replaced with carefully built mask of charming politeness. Aomine watched as she crossed her long legs and leaned forward a bit. Even without looking, he knew most of the other patrons' eyes were trained on them.

It was hard to be seen together with such gorgeous person sometimes.

"You've asked questions about me, yet you've never said anything about yourself. I found it quite unfair. So, what secret do you keep hidden from me, Katagiri-_san_?"

"You don't want to know my secret, trust me. Every woman has a secret she would always keep and the skeletons in a model's closet couldn't compare to common people."

Well, Aomine couldn't argue with that. He had heard how cruel the modelling world could be from Kise's lips. He didn't exactly want to know how more vicious it could be for the girls. "Fair enough," he nodded in agreement. "but I hope you'd still tell me why you agree with Kise's silly idea of matchmaking. I'm sure you're smart enough to not fall for any of his flimsy lies."

There was something captivating from the way Katagiri tipped her head back delicately and flicked her hair behind her ear whenever she laughed. Seeing it directly in front of him, Aomine could see the appeal Katagiri had as a model. He wouldn't be surprised if she ended up famous.

"I don't know if you're thinking too highly of me or way too low of Ryou, but nevertheless I'm flattered. You're correct, though. I didn't buy Ryou's words of how one of his friends had asked him to bring a female model to their next meeting. I know him better for that lie to work; Ryou would never be friends with someone shallow like that. But he looked so hopeful and you do know how pathetic his hopeful looks are. I'd feel extremely bad if I didn't play along."

Aomine winced in sympathy. He did know how awful Kise's hopeful looks were. It was not unlike the eyes of a hopeful puppy drenched in rain.

"He can be quite willful, that Kise. I'm sorry you're dragged into this."

"There's no need to apologize. True, I mostly agreed because I couldn't reject Ryou, but it's not like I don't have my own reason. I'm currently single and from what I've heard, you're an amazing athlete. You're quite handsome too. I wouldn't mind having sex with you."

"You're blunt, aren't you? Not that I dislike it."

"I wouldn't be where I am right now if I rely on my consideration."

This time, it was Aomine's turn to laugh. Oh, he rather liked Katagiri. He rather liked her _a lot _actually. Too bad her hair was pitch black instead of blond. Too bad her smile was coy and wicked instead of genuine and bright. Too bad she didn't have honey brown irises that could captivate Aomine's attention forever. He knew they would work well as a pair—or at least as sex friends—but all that he wanted now was only one person.

"I like you," Aomine said because he was honest like that. "it's too bad I'm not interested in casual sex right now. Hope you're alright with just being friends."

"I'm fine with it. After all, I've figured that's how this would end up anyway. I've figured that from the very first time we met."

Aomine lifted his brows in question, but before he could say anything, he felt someone approaching their table. The way his lips curled up into a smile was fully automatic. He felt the warmth and caught the familiar scent first before turning around to finally see Kise standing near. The blond was juggling three drinks in his hands and there was an apologetic smile on his face. Casually, Aomine stood up and took two of the drinks—his and Katagiri's—from Kise before sitting back down beside the girl.

"I'm sorry it took so long! The line was really long and afterwards I figured it'd be better if I waited for the drinks since well, I've been waiting long enough as it was. What were you two talking about?"

There was eagerness in Kise's face. He didn't even bother concealing his curiosity and if he didn't look so adorable like that, Aomine would have flicked his forehead. As it was, Aomine just took sip of his drink—mocha _frappucino_ with no whip cream and less sugar, the usual—before shrugging lightly.

"Nothing in particular. I just told Katagiri-_san_ how you can't stand bitter coffee and she said you should watch your diet."

Kise blushed but he couldn't exactly argue with that. "I always watch my diet," he grumbled under his breath instead. Then, in an act of defiance, he intentionally gulped down his hot chocolate faster than he should be.

Aomine snickered when the model yelped not long after. The idiot had burned his tongue. His attention was distracted though when he felt Katagiri's hand touching his arm. Looking back at her, he could see a small smile playing on her lips and Katagiri leaned slightly closer than necessary to whisper,

"You never take your eyes off him. Do you even realize that, Aomine-_san_?"

* * *

Kise hated Aomine.

Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but Aomine certainly wasn't on Kise's favorite-people-list right now.

He just didn't know what the other wanted and it was so infuriating! Of course, he was talking about his matchmaking attempt here.

Twice had Kise failed to give Aomine his perfect lover and the constant failure was starting to annoy him. Aomine was just too picky! Kise could still understand Aomine's reason for rejecting Shinonome. After all, he did look as if he was going to kidnap that girl whenever they walked together, but Kise couldn't figure out a single reason why Aomine didn't want to go out with Akane-_san_.

When Aomine had told him physical appearance mattered for him too, Kise knew he had to look for a candidate within his model agency. He knew no other girls who could have minimum height difference with Aomine other than his fellow models. However, most of the female models had a rather appalling personality that it took Kise quite a long time to decide whom he would introduce to Aomine. After three days of secretly selecting each one of his female model friends in his head, Kise finally came across Akane-_san_.

Physically, Kise was certain she wouldn't look like a child while walking beside Aomine and she was gorgeous. There was no way Aomine could get bored from looking at her face. Personality wise, Akane-_san _was rather pleasant. She was fierce and blunt, the type that wouldn't think twice about voicing out her opinion and wouldn't back down once she believed she was right, but her bluntness was balanced by her capability in socializing. It was easy to talk to her about anything and Kise knew a little bit of stubbornness wouldn't bother Aomine. Also, Akane-_san_ had really nice boobs. Even Kise couldn't deny that.

So, really, physical and personality wise, Akane-_san _should be everything Aomine was looking for in a lover. Kise had been giddy when he introduced the both of them; elated in his certainty that this time his matchmaking attempt would be successful, but no. Aomine—the picky, arrogant, hard to understand bastard—had once again announced after their one-on-one that he and Akane-_san _would only be _friends_.

"Aaaaaaarghhh, stupid Aomine-_cchi_!" Overcame with his own annoyance, Kise shouted at the top of his lungs before burying his face down onto his pillow. He was torn, really. While he was genuinely annoyed with Aomine, but the reason for that annoyance wasn't purely because the tanned male had refused to pursue any romantic relationship with Akane-_san_. No, his annoyance was mostly born from his own conflicted feeling once he heard Aomine's decision.

Knowing Aomine hadn't accepted Akane-_san _as his lover pleased Kise more than it should and now he didn't know whether to smile in relief because this way he'd still have a chance with Aomine, or to cry in self-loathing for his petty thoughts.

Soft knocks on his door cut into his conflicted mind and prompted Kise to lift his face from the pillow. He sat up on his bed, still hugging his pillow close to his chest in obvious sulky gesture, before calling out to whoever was on the other side of the door.

"Is everything alright, Ryou-_chan_? I heard your scream. Is there something wrong?" Kise Sayaka, the second daughter in the Kise household, peered into her beloved brother's room. A worried frown creased her pretty face. Honey brown orbs that were almost identical with his brother's immediately scanning him for any sign of injuries. Sayaka's wavy blond hair was tightly tied into a bun and the light blue apron she still wore suggested she had been coking.

"Ah, _Nee-san_!" Kise blushed. He felt guilty now for worrying his sister. Both of their parents were away on yet another bout of their self-proclaimed honeymoon and his first sister, Kyoko, was working overseas, so there was only the two of them for few days ahead and Kise never liked to make Sayaka worry. Too bad it was almost impossible to avoid that; both of his sisters were _very _protective of him after all. "Everything is alright. I'm sorry for surprising you."

"Well, at least I'd finished cooking our dinner when I heard your scream, so there wasn't too much damage done." Sayaka winked to make sure Kise knew she was kidding. When he chuckled in return, she grinned and approached him. Sitting on the bed beside him, she pulled off her hair and brushed the waist-length strands back with hand before speaking up once again, "You are obviously sulking though and I heard Aomine-_kun_'s name in your scream. What had happened now?"

The pout returned in full force at the reminder. Kise then told Sayaka all about his plan to be Aomine's matchmaker. He told her about Aomine's sudden proclamation of wanting a lover. He told her about Shinonome and the complete failure that followed. He told her Aomine's reasoning why he and Shinonome wouldn't work. He told her about Akane-_san_ and the second failure he received—he told her _everything_ and through his rants, Sayaka only listened closely while smiling in amusement once or twice.

Once he was finished, she watched the way he squeezed the pillow tightly and couldn't hold back her giggle. Ryou -_chan_ had always been so adorable when he sulked. "So you're mad because none of the girls you've introduced to Aomine-_kun _seems to fit his type."

"Aomine-_cchi_ is just too picky." Kise grumbled in agreement.

"What was his reason for refusing Akane then? Is it because she's older than him?" Akane was of the same age as Sayaka, which put them roughly two years older than both Kise and Aomine.

"No, Aomine-_cchi_ never said anything about age and I know he doesn't have any problem with age difference," he had, after all, dated older women for one night stands before. "that's why I'm so annoyed at him. His reasons were just _unreasonable_! I mean, he admitted that he liked Akane-_san_'s physical appearance and he didn't have problem with her bluntness, but then he started spouting nonsense and I just couldn't accept it!"

"You're letting your emotion talks for you, Ryou-_chan_. What kind of nonsense did he actually say, hm?"

"Well, he said that although Akane-_san _is pretty, but he preferred someone with honey brown irises instead of black. He also said he thought black hair was kind of boring and he liked to see blondes instead. Then he was saying about how Akane-_san_'s smiles were nice, but not nice enough. He even said he didn't want to date someone so stylish because then he couldn't persuade them to goof around or to play basketball with him, which is totally nonsense right, _Nee-san_?!"

"Hmm, yes you're right. That's kind of unreasonable." She agreed like a good big sister, although she couldn't resist from smiling knowingly either.

"I know! I've told him that too! I mean, _of course _girls won't just accept any invitation to play basketball! Especially not if the opponent is Aomine-_cchi_. Not everyone can indulge in his crazy love for basketball and he should have been prepared to sacrifice some things for his lover! He is crazy if he expects a lover who can keep up with his enthusiasm in basketball and I truly don't understand half of the things he said. Heck, he was talking as if he wanted _me _to be his lover and that's just insane!"

Kise huffed once he had finished ranting. It was nice to pour everything out like that and for a moment, there was silence in the room. Sayaka wisely let Kise catch his breath and calm down before humming thoughtfully.

"Insane … huh. Tell you what, Ryou-_chan_, I have an idea."

Curious eyes shifted their attention at her. Sayaka didn't bother to hide her grin as she told Kise of her plan.

* * *

It was not a rare thing for Aomine to get invited to Kise's house. The blond's family was welcoming and warm. Both of his parents were quite eccentric in the way that they never seemed to lose their youthful spirit and both of Kise's sisters certainly were apples for any eyes. So when Kise texted him that Aomine should visit his house before their one-on-one, he hadn't thought much of it. Aomine liked Kise's family and although they still couldn't compare to his own, but the warm acceptance they always showed was still pleasant.

"Aomine-_cchi_! Come in, come in! _Nee-san _made burgers for us! You're just in time for lunch too!" Kise greeted brightly as he opened the door for Aomine. In the comfort of his own home, Kise didn't bother with any stylish clothing. He only wore faded jeans and simple, long sleeved white shirts and yet he still managed to look captivating.

Smiling as he changed his shoes with in-door sandals, Aomine murmured, "Sorry to intrude," before following Kise towards the dining room. He could smell the tantalizing aroma of food and it made his stomach growl quite loudly. Scowling at Kise when he snickered, Aomine then asked, "Where is your parents, Kise?"

"Away in Hawaii for their umpteenth honeymoon. They should be back in three more days. For now, it's only _Nee-san _and I here."

"Kyoko-_san _is still busy, huh?"

"Yeah. _Nee-chan_ won't come back until summer holiday, I think." They arrived at the dining room where Sayaka was preparing the table. Kise immediately went over to help her. "_Nee-san_, Aomine-_cchi_ is here."

"Oh, Aomine-_kun_! It's been a while!" Sayaka gave Kise the rest of the plates in order to approach Aomine. She grinned when she saw light blush dusting his cheeks. "You haven't changed much. It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, Sayaka-_san_. You look beautiful as always." Aomine said just a bit bashfully. He was nothing but sincere though. Sayaka did look pretty with her hair freely tumbling down onto her waist in waves and the cream dress that hugged her body was very flattering too. Surrounded by such beautiful sisters around him, Aomine could understand why the modelling world didn't faze Kise that much.

"Why, thank you. I do like your honesty." Winking playfully, Sayaka then ushered Aomine towards the dining table. "Now come, let's eat. The food will taste better while it's still hot. Ryou-_chan_, pour some tea for Aomine-_kun_, will you?"

"Eeeeh? Aomine-_cchi_ can take his own—I mean, alright, alright." Kise lifted his hands when Sayaka threw him a glare. While usually kind, but his sister could be scary when she was angry. Knowing what was good for him, Kise went to take a bottle of cold _ocha _before walking towards Aomine and poured some into his glass. "There you go, Aomine-_cchi_. I hope you're satisfied with my service." He said with a flourish, acting as if he was a servant.

"Heh, I will make sure to tip you later." Aomine teased back, smiling when he heard Kise laughter as the blond went to his own chair.

"Well then, now that we've all been seated ...," Sayaka smiled indulgently before clasping her hands in front of her. "_Itadakimasu_!"

Her word was echoed by both Aomine and Kise. After that, the atmosphere in the dining room turned lively. The Kise household wasn't that strict with rules, so it was common occurrence for them to chat while eating. They shared lots of things, mostly Aomine and Kise bantering with each other, and Sayaka just laughed along at their antics. With two growing teenagers between them, the food was quickly polished. Aomine kept praising Sayaka for her burgers and although Sayaka knew he was exaggerating, but it still pleased her nevertheless.

However, their lunch was interrupted when suddenly Kise's cellphone rang. Frowning at the disruption, the blond looked at the caller ID and hastily excused himself from the room when he saw his manager name flashing on the screen. Aomine watched until the blond retreated towards the living room before turning back towards his empty plate. He was about to take the dirty plates towards the sink when Sayaka beat him to it.

"Let me do it, Aomine-_kun_. You're a guest. It will be impolite for me to let a guest do the dishes." With that and a flash of sweet smile Sayaka gathered all the empty plates and brought them to the sink. "So, Aomine-_kun_, I heard Ryou-_chan _is playing the matchmaker for you."

"Ah, yes. He's … rather persistent about that once I told him I want to have a lover." Aomine sighed and took his drink.

"Must be hard for you. After all, the one you want to date is Ryou-_chan_, right? Seeing him picking up girls for you while being oblivious must be irritating."

Almost immediately, Aomine choked on his _ocha_. He coughed harshly to clear his airway before turning around to give Sayaka a horrified look. "T-that's not—! I mean, h-how did you know that?!"

Sayaka laughed. "Well, it's obvious, isn't it? You two are always so close with each other and if it's not good enough, what Ryou-_chan _had told me yesterday made me certain about it. Honestly, honey brown irises? Blond hair? The ability to keep up with your insane basketball spirit? You've practically spelled out his name. I almost feel bad for how stupid Ryou-_chan _could be."

There was nothing Aomine could say to that. He could only mumbled his agreement. His face felt extremely hot and he knew that even through his complexion, his blushing wouldn't go unnoticed.

There was a moment where only the sound of water could be heard as Sayaka finished washing the plates. Once she had put the last plate on the drying rack, she turned and smiled gently at Aomine. "You know, I was the one who asked Ryou-_chan _to invite you."

Aomine lifted his brows at the admission. He tilted his head slightly in silent gesture for her to continue. Sayaka took the time to sit back on her chair before doing just so.

"I managed to convince him to set you up with me. I mean, going by your latest criteria, I may as well be the perfect choice. Honey brown irises, blond hair, required ability to keep up with basketball enthusiast like you—I do have all of that. But in truth, I want to help you making my silly brother notice that his feeling is requited."

Aomine's eyes widened. "_His _feeling is requited?" he repeated faintly. His voice almost swallowed up by the sound of his own beating heart. "What do you mean by that, Sayaka-_san_?"

"… Oh. You don't know that either, do you? Honestly, the two of you are too oblivious!" Sayaka clicked her tongue. When she looked back at Aomine, her expression was that of fond exasperation. "Ryou -_chan _likes you too, you silly boy. It's obvious from the way he admires you. You are basically all he ever talks about, you know!"

"I … didn't know that."

"Of course you didn't know. I'm sure Ryou-_chan _never said anything to you. It's the same with him, Aomine-_kun_. He won't know how you feel about him if you don't say it directly. I love that boy so much, but even I can admit he's not the brightest at figuring out people's feelings. If you really love him, you'll have to show him in a way that he won't be able to mistake your meaning."

"I, uh, will keep that in mind."

"Good," the smile that appeared on Sayaka's face was thoroughly pleased. "Now go and wait for Ryou-_chan _in his room. I will send him there once he's done with his call and you two should resolve the tension immediately, you got me?"

Aomine laughed openly. He shook his head at her antic, but nevertheless obeyed. "Okay, I will. Thank you again for the advice, Sayaka-_san_." He said as he stood up from his chair. However, he didn't get to walk far before Sayaka called him again. Halting his steps, Aomine turned to curiously look back at Sayaka.

With a grin on her face, the girl then said lightly, "No sex on the first date, Aomine-_kun_. You'd better remember that."

* * *

When Kise finally walked in to his room, Aomine was lying on his bed, reading one of the basketball magazines the blond had as if it was his own. Not that Kise minded it. The tanned male had visited his room often enough it might as well be his own.

Aomine sat up on the bed when Kise approached him. The bed then dipped further from additional weight as Kise sat on the edge.

"I'm sorry, Aomine-_cchi_. My manager called to tell me about my new job. What did you talk about with _Nee-san_?"

"Not much. Mostly we just talk about what a horrible matchmaker you are. Trying to set me up with your own sister, Kise? Seriously, you are an idiot."

"Wha—?! Oh, you don't have the right to call me an idiot, Aomine-_cchi_! I was just trying to find someone fitting for the criteria you gave to me! I'd think _Nee-san _is a great choice. She has honey brown eyes and blond hair. Besides, don't you dare to tell me you don't like my _Nee-san_!" Kise narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Idiot! Of course I like Sayaka-_san_!" Aomine threw a warning glare when Kise was about to open his mouth once again before continuing, "but it's exactly because of that I won't want her as my lover! She's like my own older sister! It would feel weird if I dated her. Almost as weird as if I dated Satsuki."

Well, Kise could just imagine. He knew how awkward it could be to date someone you've been so close to, so he really couldn't blame Aomine's logic. Besides, it actually relieved him to know Aomine wouldn't date his sister. It still left the main question open, though.

"Then who exactly do you like, Aomine-_cchi_? I'm out of ideas, seriously. I've been trying to find the right girl for you, but you're just being impossible! Don't tell me all the criteria you gave to me was all made up!"

"Nah, all that I've told you were true. I do have someone I like."

"You do?" The scowl on Kise's face fell and for a second he looked sad. He was quick to cover it up with a teasing grin, but not fast enough to escape from Aomine's eyes. The sight made Aomine wonder how he could be so blind all of this time. "Well? Tell me who the unlucky person is, Aomine-_cchi_! I think I deserve to know after all that I've done for you!"

"You would have figured it out for yourself if only you were less oblivious, Kise."

"What do you mean?"

"Like I've said, I've been telling you nothing but the truth since the beginning." Aomine put the magazine down on the bed and leaned forward until he invaded Kise's personal space. Their proximity made Kise tense, but Aomine held him in place by piercing stare. Reaching out a hand, he gently tugged at Kise's hair. "I love blond hair," he moved his hand to cup Kise's cheek, fingers caressing the skin beneath Kise's eyes. "I love honey brown eyes."

"I love someone whose smile was the brightest and most genuine I've ever seen. I love someone who can keep up with me in each one-on-one we've ever played. I love someone whose stubbornness sometimes drives me crazy, but at the same time relieves me because then I know we are equal. I love someone who doesn't even have boobs, but every small move they makes still manage to make my heart skips a beat."

Aomine's fingers traced Kise's bottom lip and he watched as those beautiful honey brown eyes widened. Watching him this closely, Aomine could see the way Kise's body shiver. He could hear the sound of hitched breath and the anticipation thickening in the room only made him smile. Navy blue irises flicked down to Kise's half-opened mouth and almost in reflex, Aomine licked his lips.

"I love you, Kise Ryouta," He said simply. "and you love me too."

Kise's lips twitched at Aomine's arrogant statement, but any remarks he might have was swollen back when Aomine closed the distance between them. A sound not unlike needy whine could be heard between them and then Kise was reaching out blindly, his hands grabbing at Aomine's back as if he was holding at his lifeline. Their kiss didn't have the chance to stay chaste for long. Both of them had been waiting for too long to take it slow and both of them were greedy people.

It was Kise who growled in impatience first. Then he bit down on Aomine's lips and the answering growl from Aomine made arousal hit him hard. Their tongues met and caressed each other, sending spikes of pleasure to their nerve system. They took time exploring new territories with their tongue, while their hands simply clung to each other as if to anchor themselves. The kiss was never broken. They only pulled away from the kiss to gulp at air hastily before diving in once more. They kissed and kissed for what seemed to be eternity but there was just so many kisses you could share before it became not enough.

Aomine groaned as he broke the kiss. It was terribly hard to resist from kissing Kise again—especially when Kise was gazing at him with eyes dazed in pleasure like that—but he knew they had to stop. Sayaka had said no sex on the first date and although she had said it in jovial manner, Aomine knew she was quite serious with her warning. He wanted to respect that. He also didn't want Kise to get the wrong idea that he only seek for sex in their relationship.

"We had to stop, Kise." It was hard to say those words. More so when Kise only blinked and leaned forward once again. Aomine laughed breathlessly, but he gently took Kise's face in his hands to halt him. "No, really, we had to stop. I don't want to be killed by your sister and … and I want to take this slow."

It took Kise a while to comprehend Aomine's words through his pleasure dazed mind. Once he did though, a smile curved his lips. A genuine smile that was brimming with adoration and love Aomine almost wanted to eat his own words right there and then.

"Okay," Kise breathed and he actually sounded giddy. "Okay, we will take this slow, Aomine-_cchi_. Oh God, I can't believe this actually happened." A giggle escaped from Kise before he decided to bury his face on Aomine's shoulder. His body was still shaking with mirth, but the tips of his ears were red like they usually were when he was upset.

"Kise, you okay?" Frowning in worry, Aomine rubbed Kise's back soothingly. He didn't really know what to take of this reaction.

"Oh, yes, I'm alright, Aomine-_cchi_. I'm more than alright, I'm just … I'm just too happy that I don't know whether I should laugh or cry." Kise lifted his head and true enough, despite the wide smile on his face, there were also tears gathering in his eyes. "So … does this make us boyfriends?"

"… Yeah, I guess." Aomine smirked. "You're mine now, Kise. I hope you're ready for it."

Peals of bright laughter was what Aomine got as response. Kise threw his arms around Aomine and then they both were snuggling on the bed. There was a big smile on Kise's face and he knew it wouldn't disappear anytime soon. He knew then he would be ready for anything in the future, as long as he had Aomine there with him.

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**—End.**

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**A/N: **Thank you for reading this story until the end! I hope everyone enjoyed the simplicity in it. :) I'm very grateful for the feedback I've received, and apologize for not having time to reply them as for now. I will try to reply to all of them once I've finished with my exams, I promise!


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